Electrically-actuated pump



D. H. REEVES.

ELECTRICALLY ACTUATED PUMP.

APPLICATION F|LED Nov.29.1918.

1,346,555.. Patented July 13, 1920.

EEB- 37 v 57 FT 5.4-

IN V EN TOR.

no "Y PATENT OFFICE.

DONALD E. REEVES, F DAYTON, OHIO.

ELECTRICALLY-ACTUATED PUMP.

intense.

Specification of Letters Batent.

rateateeaaiy is, ieee.

Application led November 29, 1918. Serial No.'264,650.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, DONALD H. REEVES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented ,a new and useful Electrically-Actuated Pump, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relatesto pumps adapted to be placed in the fuel lineleading from the tank to the carbureter of a hydro-carbon motor, its prime purpose being to supply fuel to the carbureterunderpressure. In its present embodiment it is particularly adapted to use on automobiles, aero planes and the like, and is arranged to start automatically when the pressure in the line drops below a given point and stop when the pressure rises 'to said point. It is elec trically operated and the small quantity of energy required may be obtained from the battery of the ignition system. While quite capable of sustaining the entire burden of maintaining the pressure in the line, it is well adapted to act as an auxiliary whose duty it is to operate only when the major source of pressure is not in operation. For example, in an automobile, where the line pressure is maintained by a pump driven by the motor it is necessary to have some means for building up the pressure before the motor starts; this is commonly done with a hand pump, and my device is adapted to take the place of the hand pump. Connected in the fuel line, with its electrical energy derived from the ignition battery," it can be connected in the ignition circuit so that when the ignition -switch is thrown on the current is also`thrown into the pump circuit. ln its present embodiment my pump is constructed with au elastic cylinder instead of the ordinary piston pump, sc .all danger of leakage outside of the fuel line is eliminated. Instead of locating the pump in the fuel line, so that it actually pumps liquid'fuel, it may be connected vto the fuel tank and used to force air under pressure into the tank.`

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my Pump; f

Fig. y2 is a sectional View of the switch taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; y

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the electrical switch taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the switch taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view 'of a portion of the switch taken on line 5--5 of lig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a fragmental detail showing the construction of the cylinder, and

F 1g. 7 is a diagram of the electrical circuit. and connections.

Similar numerals refer to like parts in theseveral views.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the body 10. which is preferably cylindrical, is counter-l bored at its lower end to a considerable depth to receive the bottom 11 which is pressed into place. At the `center of the bottom a core 12 is secured by a projection 13 on the core and pressed into a hole in the bottom 11. The core is turned true so as to make a good contact with the bottom 11. At its upper end the core is bored out to form a conical recess '14. At its upper end a plug 15 is screwed into the body 10, this plug having a central upward extension 1G. The plug and extension are bored out as at 17 to receive a plunger 18. They lower end of the plunger is conical and complementary to the recess 14. The plunger has a central bore 19 whose function is principally to reduce its weight. A non-magnetic peg 20 rigidly attached to the core 12 extending upward into the bore 19 serves as a guide for the lower end of the plunger. At its upper end the plunger is guided by a non-magnetic ring 21 which is secured in the projection 16.

The body 10, bottom 11, core 12, plug 15. and extension 16, are made of soft iron and constitute a double pole magnet, and the plunger 18 acts as an armature for the magnet. A coil 22 of insulated wire is confined in the space formed by the body, bottom, core and plug, the coil thus surrounding the core, so that when a current of electricity is passed through the coil the plunger is attracted and drawn toward the core.

A cylindrical housing 25 slips down over and is secured to the upper end of the body 10, and extending upward a suitable distance this housing is closed by a cover 26. Secured to the inside of this cover and extending downward toward the plug 15, is an. expansible cylinder 27. In ,general form thisv cylinder is cylindrical, but its wall has a succession of deep corrugations giving it very much the appearance of an accordion,

these corrugations losing for the saine pur-ggfpose as the folds ofan accordion; namely, to enable the capacity, of the c linder to be increased and diminished.' vT e lower end of the cylinder is closed by a cup shaped head 28, this head having an outwardly extending flange 29 to which the lower end of the cylinder is soldered. .'Ihev cup part of the head is large enough in diameter to receive the extension 16 and allow plenty oroom forthe free movement of the cylinder head up and down. The plunger 1.8 eX- upward and is secured to the head 28 at its center, the point of attachment being 'theiieforein the bottom of the cup. A compression spring 3.0 is .confined between the bottoni of the .cup and the upper end of the extension 16, thereby tending to. lift the cup and contract the cylinder, this of course'resulting in the plunger being drawn upward with reference to the core 12. and other parteci the magnet.-

Extending laterally, then upwardly and again laterally from the flange 29 1 s an arm 35, this arm passing through a roomy aperture in the side ofthe housing 25. Attached to thehollsing is a switch. base 36 on which iS mounted pair of arms 37 .carrying a cylindrical guiderod 38. vL oosrly'mounted 0n this rod lis a metallic sleeve 39 having an amnilarl ilange 4:0. removed a short distance fromV its upper end. The portion of the SlQV-e. between this flange 40 and its upper end is snrrounded by a band 41 composed of insulating material, the diameter of the hand being the saine as that of the flange.

` 'Thelowerportion of the sleeve is threaded axdcarries two jam nuts -The arm 35 exttl-.nds into the. between the liange 40 andthe upper nut 42., so that as the cylinder expands andcontracts the sleeve is moved longitudinally on the guide Adjustably. Securedft the base-36, but insulated therefrom, .is a ball ,holder 43 having two sockets 44, each of which cogsaiils' a gialht baii a com .ressicn spring Y w crc y. e .a 1s presided .againstthe ilangc 40 or. the. band 41, according. t0 .the position of the sleeve.

One. end of the coil-1221s connected. to the londingr post and lthe other end to the ball holder 43. The sleeve 39 is of course Connected through its metallic associations the housing l25.- which, for convenience, will b e called a ground. Connected tothe ball holder 43 is one terminal of .a condenser 51, the other terminal thereof being grounded. When the cylinder contracts, the arm 35 moves the Sleeve 39 upward to a point whereit will contact with the balls 45. As- Suming that the binding post 50 is connected to a source of electrical energy, a current will traverseA the'coil 22, the holder 43 and the. balle, and be carriedthrough-the. .e

. 4.0 tothe ground. This. will energize the A.magnet and draw the plunger 18 downward,

thus expanding the cylinder. Because ofthe space between the4 flange 40 and nuts 42 the cylinder isl permitted to expand some distance .betere the arm 35 engages the nuts, after which the sleeve will be drawn downward until .the flange 40 is removed from Contact with the balls, the circuit through the coil being thereby broken. The spring 30 is then relied upon to raise the plunger and contract the cylinder, the arm 35 again moving a certain distance before actuating .the switch. The stroke of the cylinder may be varied by screwing the nuts 42 toward or .away from the flange 4.0, while the point at which the current is cut o maybe -varied by moving the ball' holder on the base 36.

ln Order to prevent excessive contraction ofi wth reference to the ian'ge 40 and nuts i 42, which lateral movement tends, through' themedium of friction, to rotate the sleeve slightly on the guide. While this tendency may not be very pronounced-or very uniform, it is sufficient to effect more vor less rotary movement of the sleeve.

The cover 26 is fitted with an inlet port 60 which is assumed to beconnected to the fuel tank, said port being normally" closed by a Valve 61. The cover 26 is also pro- I vided with an outlet port 62, assumed-to be Connected to therarbureter, said port being normally covered by a valve 63. Valvesmay be constructed'in any manner These 1 Suitable for the purpose, and it is deemed j unnecessaryto describe them in detail.

The ,operation of the-device is almost obviousbutmay be'described as follows: As-

suming that the pump is properly connected tothe uelta'nk; and'rcarbureter, but that it has been in disuso and that the ressure in the' fuel' line is belowI normal. QIhe cylinder. will then be contracted and the parts in theposition theyoccupy in Figs. l and 2, theballs beingin contact with 'the metallic part ofthe switch. Connecting the binding post 50 to a source of energy will immediately energizel the magnet and drawthe plunger downward, ultimately operating the switch in the' manner previously described and cuttingv off the current. The magnet is required not only to draw fuel from the. tank but it must also overcome the tension ofthe spring 30 which constantly tends to contract the cylinder. Therefore, as soon as the circuit is broken by the downward motion of the plunger, the spring is allowed t0 lift the free end of the cylinder thereby discharging at the port 62 the fluid which was drawn into the cylinder during the downward stroke of the plunger. In likeA manner the plunger is reciprocated, alternatel by magnetic attraction and the tension of the sprlng, until the pressure in the fliel line is raised to the point Where it balances the effective tension of the spring. When this occurs, the spring will be unable to lift the plunger except gradually as the fuel is consumed, and when it is lifted to a sufficient height to bring the fiange into contact with the balls the pump will start again and operate as before. In this manner the pressure in the fuel line is automatically maintained practically constant as long as current is-supplied at the binding post 5.0.

While I have used an expansible cylinder inthe present embodiment of my invention, this type of pump is not essential to its success as will be perfectly obvious to those skilled in the art; the plunger 18 might readily be connected to the piston of an ordinary reciprocating pump. Moreover, the

\ field of usefulness of my invention is by no means confined to the purposes previously referred to, as it may be put t0 various other uses. In designing the pump carehas been exercised to conserve space and obtain high efficiency. The cup shaped cylinder head contributes very much to the compactness of the device without detractin in any degree from its effectiveness. he magnet is constructed in conformity with the bestV practice of the day and gives the maximum of power for the current consumed. It is to be understood, however, that I do not conne myself to the particular construction shown, as various modifications may be made without departing from the intent or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

What I .claimis as follows:

l. In combination: a pump comprising an expansible cylinder, one end thereof being secured to a stationary head, the other end being free to move longitudinally and closed by a head; an electro-magnet, an armature connected to the free cylinder head, said armature being attracted and moved by the magnet when the latter is energized, thereby expanding the cylinder, a spring located within the head and constantly tending to contract the cylinder, a switch, and connecting means whereby when the cylinder has been expan'ded'to a given point the switch is opened, and when the cylinder `is contracted to a given point the switch is closed.

2. In combination: a pump comprising an accordion like cylinder,- one end thereof being secured to a stationary head, the other end being free to move longitudinally and closed by a cup shaped head, an electro-magnet, an armature partly located within and vconnected to the movable head, said armature being attracted and moved bythe magnet when the latter is energized, thereby. ex-

panding the cylinder and a compression f spring located within the head whereby, when the current is cut off the armature is withdrawn from the magnet and the cylinder contracted.

3.- In a pump, the combination of a casing,

a collapsible cylinder located withinl said casing and having one Wall thereof fixed therein, a recessed -head secured. to the free end of the casing and providing a closing end therefor, an electro-magnet, an 'armature Ypartially located within the recessed head of the cylinder and having a portion thereof secured to said recessed head, said armature being'attracted and moved by the magnet when the latter is energized to expand the cylinder, and a spring located within the` recessed head and operable to contract the cylinder,substantiall as set forth.

y Y DO ALD H. REEVES.' 

